On the evening of August 3, 1920, at 10:30, two men hurrying home after working at the local Railway Y.M.C.A. discovered smoke and flames at the D. Arnold & Sons Lumber Company. Bradford firemen, with the help of area firefighters, could not contain the raging fire because of the intense heat and lack of available water. By the early morning light, townspeople saw that their town had been almost totally destroyed. Thirty-four businesses and twelve homes were burned to the ground with losses totaling over one million dollars. Many businesses never rebuilt and claimed huge losses due to the lack of insurance coverage. The Ohio State Fire Marshal investigated the fire and ruled arson as the origin. Authorities never apprehended or charged any suspects.